Mein Gedankengang - My Train of Thought

Making this video yellow flagged me!

2009-11-03T17:04:00Z

I was detained and questioned thereafter.

From my sketch book:

Members of the Secret Service:
An overbearing-turned-affable sergeant who was initially on the path towards confrontation with me, asking, "If there were a fence around your home, would you want people going through it?" This was a silly question as there was no home being fenced in. Also there's a difference between private property and commons areas. And finally, the surest way, anyhow, to ensure someone does something is to tell them to not do it.
He wore a yellow polo shirt wth sergeant strips on his collar. His bearing was, in fact, excellent, except for his habit of spitting out sunflower seed shells every 30 seconds or so.
A (tall!) white polo-ed fellow — also on bicycle. No visible insignia of rank. We had pleasant conversation about being from the Midwest while his cohort played the bad ass.

All three of us were sporting some prettty cool looking shades, by the way!

Here's a sample of the questions I was asked:
Where from?
How long?
What are you doing here?
SSN?
Am I military? Rank?
What's in my backpack?
Camera? What's on it? Could they examine it? (The display is broken so it wasn't much good to anyone including me. I have to take out the xD card and transfer images/videos to my laptop before I know what I've actually taken!—anyone wanna send me a free, replacement camera, like, for my birthday?)
Arrest warrants?
Who do I work for? Title? Is that my primary income?
Do I have any weapons, specifically knives?
What are my plans for the rest of the day?

And the BEST QUESTION EVER:

Would I be recording a negative review of them on page ten of my sketch book?

All in all, I enjoyed the experience thoroughly. It was a cultural highlight!

This is the tree I documented. They didn't like me being so close. And being on that side of it. If I'd been on the other side of it, I don't think they'd have cared?

Here's the Washington Monument that I had just looked at before moving on towards the White House:

Day No. 3 of Birthday Week 2009!

2009-11-03T15:43:37Z

I'm working on more information about yesterday. Soon.

In the mean time, today's agenda

Vote in the general election here in the Commonwealth of Virginia

Chill out for a bit at http://therappahannockcoffee.com/

Checkin' out THe DEA Museum — http://www.deamuseum.org/

Something else this afternoon—I don't know what

The preimere of ABC's V! http://abc.go.com/shows/v/index

I was DETAINED and INTERROGATED by the SECRET SERVICE

2009-11-03T02:27:50Z

And this is why:

At Rappahanhook in Arlington

2009-10-28T19:15:16Z

My first excursion - Broadcast your self LIVE

blogTV.com

2009-10-28T18:27:03Z

blogTV.com

2009-10-25T17:58:02Z

I now have an account on BlogTV.com.

This link is http://www.blogtv.com/People/totaldefense

Come see! (Live now at 2:30 pm on Sunday)

Occoquan 2009

2009-06-07T00:34:56Z

Me and my trusty whistle keep streets safe!

recruit @ 2009-06-05T17:59:00

2009-06-05T21:59:15Z

Special Boy With Freakishly Large Brain Wins Spelling Bee

What I do with my time

2009-05-28T04:19:33Z

I've been busy teaching for the Red Cross, doing Standard First Aid, CPR, and Babysitting. These classes are offered through the "Heath and Safety" line.

Lately I've started looking into volunteering in the "Disaster Services" lline. There's an orientation called "Fulfilling Our Mission" which give you an overview of the line. I took that a couple of weeks ago.

This evening, I took "Psychological First Aid", where you help learn to give support to people who've been affected by disasters, both natural and man-made. It wasn't such a difficult course, but it certainly taught me a lot about how to help people better!

If you're interested in becoming better prepared for things, consider checking out RedCross.org!

I've also completed the online portion of "Assessing Disasters"—100% on the test! The in-class portion will be next week. In this class we learn about collecting information in areas that have been hit by a disaster. Mapping dwellings for damange, etc. It's fascinating work!

What kinda guy am I?

2009-04-22T07:51:12Z

I watched every single episode of Battlestar Gallactica. Then and now.

I rewatch the final episode(s) again evey now and then. I save rewatching the first "miniseries". It was too indelibily wtit to the "fiiber of my being" that I awake, daily, and perceive its impact still years hence.

In so many ways I started to understand my life and its place among life in ways thhat I'll never evef be able to undo. How connected we are, not only to each other but also to a greater "good". That good. Something terrible tragic but also hopeful and therefore all the more tragic.

Melatonin. And then, sleepy time. And then, a new day.

What I've been up to

2009-04-21T06:28:56Z

Work
I've been squandering a lot of my time.

But I've also been teaching my Red Cross classes pretty regularly—a couple each week. In fact I'm up late tonight because I didn't even get home from my CPR class until 12:30 a.m. We had three participants with rather week, er, weak, English language skills. And then the buses run so infrequently after 10ish.

I'm also applying for a business development (marketing) position with the Alexandria chapter. So, cross your fingers for me.

Languages
I'm slowly refreshing my Spanish so I can teach more classes in that language, too. In the Northern Virginia area there are lots of Spanish speakers. And they, of course, need to know how to save lives as well. Mainly I go to get my haircut by a Latina. And afterwards I stop my this South American place and get a breaded steak sandwhich. I read the local Spanish language newspapers from time to time. And I'm going through my Instructor's Manual in Spanish and learning new vocabulary. It's all pretty fun. Keeps my mind active.

I do miss speaking German, though. A lot. And I miss Germany, my friends there, very, very much. *sniffle*

State guard
I'm also doing a lot for my work in the Va. Defense Force. I've created a website for our company. http://AlphaCompany.info

We're drilling this Saturday, and I'm giving a presentation on Recruiting. I've also been trying to rally members into participating in the Shenandoah Apple Blosson Festival on 01-02 May. And then there's a whole bunch of other generic training that I'm trying to complete.

If all goes well, I'll be in line for my first promotion next month! From "Private - PVT (E-1)" to "Private - PV2 (E-2)", meaning I'll get to add a gold chevron to my uniform. I'll add photos when that happens.

Fuer Angelina

2009-02-23T06:14:04Z

You act like you know me
As you look right through me
What you see
Is what I've let you see

I wring my hands
I myself reprimand
And you've no thought
Of what I myself have wrought

All you think of
Is the fink of
A man
That I can be
Which I never meant to be

I was your knight
Your everlasting light
And all else between
Your life and your dreams

Somehow my schemes
Took all of what means
From evening to day
Extracting its pay

Till naught else was there
Obviously no care
Just hating
Berating
And crying

Just heaving
Just sighing

And breathing

But not leaving

Save a life

2009-01-30T12:29:56Z

I dreamt last night that I was caretaker to a polar bear. We become real buddies—while he would snap limbs off others for just looking at him sideways, he would happily frolick about with me.

I was feeding him some fish with this new-fangled polar-bear fish-feeding device when part of it snapped off and he started choking on it. Thanks to my CPR training, I knew what to do. But I woke up before the situation was fully resolved. But in any case, more advanced care was on the way, so I'm pretty sure he survived.

I really loved that bear! Even though it was only a ten minute dream.

First day

2009-01-21T02:56:50Z

So, now we all have a lot of work to do.

Christmas dinner

2008-12-21T19:49:00Z

I have a tradition of celebrating Christmas where I live. As far as I can recall, I've never broken with this tradition, either. So that means while friends and family are traveling about and dealing with holiday stress, I end up just enjoying myself with whatever rag-tag fugitives like me who are left around. It's actually a wonderful, truly meaningful way to commemorate the spirit of Christ's birth and his Gospel message of love and sharing.

I've already made and enjoyed Christmas dinner, actually. Here's what it looked like on the plate:

We had an 18-pound turkey. I made an herbed butter preparation which I generously applied under the skin from the top of the breast to the back. I roasted it uncovered for an hour and a half and then added aluminium foil for the remaining three hours or so.

Sauteed some red onion in butter and added that as I mashed the boiled potatoes. Cooked up some bacon and generously topped the steamed green beans with it. And sort of cheated with the stuffing by using Stove Top—though I did chop up a very spicey habenero-type pepper to give it a little extra kick. And of course the gravy from turkey drippings, thickened with corn starch.

It was, quite simply, yummers!

Oh, and homemade eggnog!

Addresses needed for Xmas cards

2008-12-18T15:00:36Z

Hey LJ Friends!

Send me your address (email is ok) and I'll send you a Christmas card!

Love,
Nicholas

Learning to be a better servant

2008-12-18T03:16:44Z

For Christmas I asked for these course(s) from the American Red Cross:

Adult/Child/Infant CPR, Basic First Aid, Universal Precautions & AED
I have two weeks to complete the online training and exams, and then I have to go in for a practical skills part. The certifications will be good for one year, and I know I'll feel great knowing I've taken this step to be better prepared to step in, just in case.

UPDATE: Just completed the Universal Precautions part. Here's what my temporary certificate looks like.

The real one should come in about a week or two. In the course I learned how infections occur, what a pathogen is and that viruses and bacteria are the most common forms, the importantce using protective barriers, personal hygeine and proper disposal of contaminated materials. I also reviewed a number of common infectious diseases and learned about the dangers of latex allergies. (And I didn't realize that latex is actually a plant product!)

I think I'll do Basic First Aid tomorrow and maybe the CPR stuff early next week.

What I've been up to this week

2008-12-17T21:52:32Z

I successfully completed two courses (IS-100.a and IS-200.a) offered by FEMA's Emergency Management Institute.

Here's what one of my certificates looks like:

All this is part of my training as a new member of the Virginia Defense Force, VA's state guard. Note, not national guard. I wouldn't be called up for military service out-of-state. The organization focused on emergency preparedness and response activities. I'm pretty psyched.

I should have more photos in like mid-January along these lines. :)

Most of them are goners so they won't miss much

2008-12-05T17:54:37Z

Up until...well, I'm not really sure when. About my mid-to-late 20's. I had this ability to cry when I felt emotional. Not just sad, but that too. And it was such a powerful outlet. Maybe even a kind of communication, if to no one or nothing else than to the great universe at large.

I don't know why but that changed. Was it a product of time and "maturation"? Or did something in my brain physically get altered? Or maybe I'm afraid. Have too many stumbling blocks tripped me up?

It felt so good after I'd have a good cry. I felt clean. Light. Free.

Dunwoody becomes first female four-star general

2008-11-14T17:40:04Z

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/14/AR2008111400259.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Wellness day

2008-11-14T03:20:53Z

I've been on this earth for thirty-five years and seven days now.

Tomorrow I'm going to treat myself to a wellness day.

Healthy food. Some jogging. Peronal grooming. Weight training.

Should be a lovely day. And one which really shouldn't cost more than, say, five bucks.

The first few days

2008-11-07T02:17:01Z

walterwz said it would be interesting to get a sense of how "this place" has change. America, I'm guessing he meant. After six years living abroad, in Germany to be specific, it's been interesting to say the least. And it's mostly a good thing. The building where I'm living is along a really great waterway called Four Mile Run, which has these jogging and biking trails running along it, with some hiking, picnic shelters and other amenities along the way.

Here are a few photos from nearby. It's been overcast and a bit drizzly lately but warm-ish, for November:

I was worried I'd experience a kind of reverse culture shock, but that hasn't occured so far. Now, part of the reason for that may be where I'm living. Arlington, Virginia, which is just outside of Washington, DC, is such an amazing mix of American cultures. I happen to live around a lot of ethnic minorities including Asian, African and South and Central American.

I went walking outside this evening after dinner and took a few shots. I love this one, of one of the manz Chinese takeout restaurants along Columbia Pike, a major road I live near:

Here's a picture from outside the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse. They have an open mike comedy standup on Saturday nights - it's free, too! So, I might check that out...

One thing I think is funny is how many fast food places there are. But this picture is just too much. The treacly sweet smell of "donuts" mixed with the waft of benzine. Yum!

I got the biggest kick out of this, however... I went into a local grocery store. Now, there are tons of little ethnic markets around. But I thought this place would be just some chain store. It looked like it from outside, and from the ad that came in the paper this week. But when I went it, I was hit with the smell of...ethnic market. Which, by the way, I really do love. Now the thing that just cracked me up was seeing this:

Now, you say, ok, that's a lot of beans. And it was! Aisle after aisle of beans! At least five of them. Not all beans in each aisle. But in some cases nearly halfway so.

So...if I need beans, I know where to go...should make for some yummy soups this winter.

Oh, and one last thing: I'm really glad to see that all the places I've lived in the U.S. (my home state of Illinois, Indiana of my university days, California of my navy days, Washington, DC, before I moved and now Virginia all are part of that pretty block of blue states that voted to restore democracy here and now. What a great thing, indeed!

Arrived safely

2008-11-06T13:22:34Z

I made it in ok! Won't be able to get online a lot here at first, but at least I got to check my email and post an entry here!

Friday is my birthday, so wish me happy birthday! :) It'll mean a lot to me, especially since it'll still take me a while to meet new people and reconnect with old friends here.

Love and stuff,
Nicholas

This entry was automatically posted thanks to Google Docs.

2008-10-29T23:58:26Z

This is only a test. :) I've already forgotten where I copied it from. Searched for "mortgage basics"...

Mortgage Basics

A mortgage is a long-term loan that uses real estate as collateral. A mortgage loan is commonly used for buying a home. Mortgage loans are usually fully-amortizing, which means that the monthly principal and interest payment will pay off the loan in the number of payments stipulated on the note. Mortgage loans are also described by the length of time for repayment, such as 15, 30 or 40 years, and whether the interest rate is fixed or adjustable. A mortgage loan where the downpayment is less than 20% usually requires private mortgage insurance (PMI) or government insurance or guarantee.

Most mortgage loans require monthly payments of principal and interest plus additional payments that are set-aside in escrow accounts to pay property taxes, homeowners (hazard) insurance, and any condominium or homeowner association assessments. Monthly mortgage insurance premiums for loans that have private or government mortgage insurance are generally included as part of the regular monthly principal and interest payment.

Some lenders offer "nontraditional" mortgage loans such as interest-only loans, in which case the borrower pays only the accrued interest and none of the payment is used to reduce the principal balance, or loans where the borrower chooses each month whether to make a minimum payment, pay the accrued interest only, or pay the accrued interest and a portion of the principal.

Home buyers who opt for a nontraditional mortgage should be aware that, depending on the terms of the loan, sudden and significant changes can occur in the monthly payment due to changes in the interest rate and/or payment terms. It is the home buyer's obligation to fully understand the terms of their loan.

Some lenders offer bi-weekly mortgages, which call for 26 payments per year. The details of bi-weekly mortgages can differ, so it's best to ask the lender to outline the details of how these programs work. A word of caution regarding bi-weekly mortgages. A number of companies offer bi-weekly mortgage programs that require the borrower to send their mortgage payment to a party that is not the lender. Borrowers should exercise caution to ensure that these payments will be sent to the lender on a timely basis and that the borrower, not the third party, receives the benefit of making bi-weekly payments.

Homebuyers who can afford the higher monthly payment sometimes prefer a 15-year mortgage to a 30-year mortgage. Interest rates on 15-year mortgages usually are slightly lower than 30-year rates. In addition, a homebuyer financing a home purchase with a 15-year mortgage will repay principal substantially faster and will pay far less total interest over the term of the loan.

Conventional Mortgages
A conventional mortgage is one that is not insured or guaranteed by the government. Conventional loans with a downpayment of less than 20% typically require private mortgage insurance (PMI), which protects the lender if the homeowner defaults on the loan. For more information about conventional loans, please check the Web sites of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two primary puchasers of conventional loans. Please note that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not lend money to home buyers, rather, these organizations and other investors purchase loans that have been made to home buyers by mortgage lenders.

FHA-Insured Loans
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which is a part of the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), operates several low-downpayment mortgage insurance programs that buyers can use to purchase a home. FHA-insured loans generally require the buyer to make a three percent cash contribution to the downpayment and closing costs. FHA-insured loans are available from most of the same lenders who offer conventional loans.

The maximum FHA-insured loan amount for a one-family home ranges from $200,160 to $362,790 depending on local area median home prices and other factors. The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, which was signed into law by President Bush on February 13, will temporarily raise FHA loan limits. Under the provisions of this law, FHA limits will range from $271,050 to $729,750 for loans approved through December 31, 2008. These limits will be effective when published by HUD in March. Your lender can provide more details about FHA-insured mortgages and the maximum loan amount in your area, or find information on FHA’s loan limits directly from HUD’s Web site.

State Housing Finance Agency Loans
State Housing Finance Agencies (HFA) provide loans to first-time homebuyers and veterans of military service who have not previously received a loan through an HFA, often at below-market interest rates. Program availability and eligibility requirements vary from state to state. You should check with your state HFA for programs that are currently available. Find a link to your state’s HFA from the National Council of State Housing Agencies' Web site.

Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs)
With a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate stays the same during the life of the loan. But with an ARM, the interest rate changes periodically, usually in relation to a specific index such as a cost of funds rate or the Treasury bill rate. Payments may go up or down accordingly. Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are characterized by the time frame for adjustment, such as 1 year, or 3, 5, 7, or 10 years. Hybrid ARMs have grown in popularity because they may offer a favorable fixed rate of interest for a time, such as 3, 5, 7, or 10 years, after which the loan becomes a 1-year ARM.

Lenders generally charge lower initial interest rates for ARMs and Hybrid ARMs than for fixed-rate mortgages. This makes the ARM easier on your pocketbook at first than a fixed-rate mortgage for the same amount. It also means that you might qualify for a larger loan because lenders sometimes make this decision on the basis of your current income and the anticipated monthly payments for the few year or two. Moreover, if interest rates remain steady or move lower, your ARM could be less expensive over a long period than a fixed-rate mortgage.

Against these advantages, you have to weigh the risk that an increase in interest rates would lead to higher monthly payments in the future. It's a trade-off: you get a lower rate with an ARM in exchange for assuming more risk.

Here are some things to consider with an ARM or a Hybrid ARM:

    *      Is my income likely to increase enough to cover higher mortgage payments if interest rates go up?
    *      How long do I plan to own this home? (If you plan to sell soon, rising interest rates may not present the risk they do if you plan to own the house for a long time.)
    *      Can my payments increase even if interest rates generally do not increase?
    *      What index will be used to adjust the mortgage rate? Ask the lender for a table showing movements in the index over the previous 10 years to see how your mortgage payments would have changed.
    *      How often will the interest rate be adjusted? Every year? Three years? Five years? The longer the adjustment period, the better you will be able to plan your future loan cost.
    *      What is the initial mortgage interest rate? Does it include a special discount or “teaser?” If so, you could face a large increase in your monthly payments when the interest rate is adjusted for the first time.
    *      What is the margin on the interest rate? The margin is the amount that the lender adds to the index rate to calculate your mortgage rate. For instance, if the index rate is 7 percent and the margin is 2 percent, your overall interest rate would be 9 percent.
    *      What limits or caps have been placed on the adjustments? One of the most important items to discuss with your lender is the maximum amount that your mortgage rate can increase in any single adjustment period and over the life of the loan. Find out the "worst case" situation in the event of a sharp increase in your index rate.
    *      Is the loan convertible? If so, is there a cost to convert? Convertibility allows you to change your ARM to a fixed-rate loan at some designated time in the future.
    *      Is there a prepayment penalty? If you refinance your loan with a new loan, you may be assessed a fee.

Moving

2008-10-27T19:44:57Z

I was spending time with a great friend of mine yesterday and she told me that, even when I've taken a lot of time to contemplate a decision, it often comes as a big surprise when I tell others, who haven't necessarily been part of the contemplation process.

Well, this is such a time. I'm moving! Back to the USA. Just outside of Washington, DC, where I had lived before coming to Germany. Next Monday will be my last day here. I still have a lot of things to tie up, and it's been stressful! But somehow I'm sure I'll land on my feet.